Vegas NASCAR weekend

Last edit: wpsteel66 on Tuesday, 1st April 2014 5:48 amBe the first to respond

Below are a few comments from my recent Vegas trip during NASCAR weekend.

Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak (Mirage): You may have read the review on this website after VIMFP. I will agree this is one of the best steakhouses in Vegas. Menu, food quality, plate presentation, atmosphere, music, service, etc. I had a great dining experience and will dine here again.

Excalibur Steakhouse: Since this was a solo trip, I was able to select some places the wife may have not agreed to. She vetoed this restaurant in the past, so I thought I would try by myself. Call me crazy, but I actually enjoyed this dining venture. Service was outstanding and I was well fed with the large plate portions. And my steak and salad were better than some other steak houses I have visited. I arrived early (about 6pm Saturday) without any reservations; they seated me quickly (but I showed my Platinum MLife card). As I was leaving, all the dining room seating was taken and a number of people were waiting to be seated. I would return to this steakhouse in the future.

MGM Grand lunch buffet: The best thing I liked was the sushi. A decent selection of foods and desserts; but nothing like the Bellagio. Would rather spend money on Bellagio buffet.

Rainforest Café (MGM Grand): Wanted to carb load Friday night to prepare for the half marathon Saturday AM. Sat at the bar and bar tender was attentive and food arrived quickly. However, pasta dish pretty bland and did not meet my expectation after reading the menu description.

Vegas Slice (Mandalay Bay): Grabbed a few slices to go. Good pizza. Next time will bring wife and eat in the restaurant.

Mandalay Bay Lunch buffet: The only thing I liked was the prepared-to-order pasta bar. Other than that, nothing special about this buffet. I was not impressed. Weak dessert bar and pretty much all other dishes were blah tasting. Low chance of me returning here for lunch.

Even though The Park in front of NYNY is still under construction, I really like what they have done so far. The Irish pub and other stores have a store front in “the park” as well as inside the casino. Plus many outside benches and other areas are available to just sit, hang out, and have a drink that was purchased at one of the NYNY park stores or CVS. I can see this area being a popular place to enjoy the outside during great outdoor weather days. Just hope this does not become a refuge for the street vendors, porn slappers, costume people, etc.

I had a NYNY spa suite for my four night stay. This room has a lot of space, which is huge difference compared to the standard NYNY rooms. The room also had a large whirlpool tub. The bathroom was small and nothing spectacular. Hopefully after the park is finished at NYNY, the executives will start remodeling the hotel rooms and suites. However, I cannot complain since my NYNY host comped me a spa suite before I arrived (no resort fee either).

We had great weather for the NASCAR race; sunny and warm day with a nice breeze. I tried a new seat this year, turn 3. I wanted to watch the cars come down the back stretch so I purchased a ticket in the last section of seating. After 100 laps, I had enough of this seat so I walked under the grandstands to turn 1. The stands looked as though a lot of empty seats, but I was amazed by the number of people under the stands waiting in line to buy something, get money from the ATM, eating, and just hanging out.

I ran in the Red Rock park half marathon again this year. Temperatures were a bit warmer this year. A good number of runners again for this race. Even though this course is tough with all the hills, still a great scenic run. The wife plans on running this race with me next year.

The craps tables were not kind to me overall. But the few NYNY slots I played were good to me. A good number of people in town for the NASCAR race and basketball tournament plus other activities.

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